About New and Upgraded Preschools ("NUP")
Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) acting in its capacity as the NSW Catholic Block Grant Authority (“CBGA”) is responsible for administering the NSW Government’s $60 million grant program for new and upgraded preschools (“NUP Program”) on non-government school sites in high growth areas.
The aim of the capital grants made under the NUP Program is to facilitate access to preschools in high growth areas by building new preschools or upgrading existing preschools on non-government school sites. High growth areas are determined by reference to a combination of socio-economic status, student demographics and a school’s classification (i.e. whether a school is a school for a specific purpose).
Funding under the NUP Program is available for two discrete funding streams:
| New Builds | Upgrades to existing Preschools |
| Grants of up to $4 million to support major capital works that will build new preschools on non-government school sites (including grants for planning processes) | Grants of up to $350,000 to support minor capital works and grants for planning purposes (e.g. building of indoor or outdoor play spaces, renovations to existing facilities and minor expansions). |
Key Dates
There will be two submission rounds each financial year from 2024-2025 to 2026-2027. The indicative dates for submission rounds and application outcome dates are as follows:
| Date | Application Process |
|---|---|
| 20 December 2024 | CSNSW have identified schools that are eligible based on the Socio-economic and Demographic criteria within the guidelines are invited to apply for funding. |
| 31 January 2025 | Supplementary Round Completed applications are required to be submitted to CSNSW for assessment, which should include the following:
Applications for a new build must consider the low supply of preschool places in the area compared to the demand and the proximity to public school sites being considered for a new construction to avoid duplication/oversupply of preschools in any given region. Please note that incomplete applications will not be accepted. |
| 6 March 2025 | CBGA to recommend to Capital Projects Evaluation Panel ("CPEP") the list of projects that meet the NSW Government’s eligibility criteria. |
| 7 March 2025 | School Proprietor’s Deed of Certification and Warranty sent to Delegated Approved Authority for authorisation of local contribution. |
| 31 March 2025 | Schedule of approved projects submitted to the NSW Minister of Education. |
| 30 May 2025 | Ministerial approval for 2024 Supplementary Round projects (indicative). |
| 30 June 2025 | Main Round Completed applications are required to be submitted to CSNSW for assessment, which should include the following:
Applications for new builds must consider the low supply of preschool places in the area compared to the demand and the proximity to public school sites being considered for a new construction to avoid duplication/oversupply of preschools in any given region. Please note that incomplete applications will not be accepted. |
| 3 September 2025 | CBGA recommend to CPEP the list of projects that meet the NSW Government’s eligibility criteria. |
| 4 September 2025 | Schedule of approved projects submitted to the NSW Minister of Education. |
| 28 November 2025 | Ministerial approval of 2025 Main Round Projects (indicative). |
Submission Dates
The schedule for applications for the 2024/2025 to 2026/2027 financial years is set below (a detailed 2026 schedule will be released in the new year).
| Application Year | NSW Government Application Due Date | Outcome Date - NSW Minister Approval |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Main Round 30 September |
29 November |
| 2025 | Supplementary Round 31 March |
30 May |
Main Round 30 September |
28 November | |
| 2026 | Supplementary Round 31 March |
29 May |
Main Round 30 September |
30 November |